Is This a Fit?

Not every advisor is the right fit for this work - and not every engagement is the right fit for every advisor. I would rather be honest about both upfront than spend time on either side of a conversation that is not going to go anywhere useful.

What follows is a straightforward look at who this works well for, who it does not, and what a year together actually looks like. If you read this and think yes - let's talk.

this tends to work well when:

You are an independent RIA or independent broker-dealer affiliated advisor - not a captive agent or wirehouse affiliated - bringing in $10M or more in new AUM annually

Your business is a solo operation or small ensemble of 2–5 advisors with no dedicated marketing staff

You have tried marketing before - a vendor, an agency, doing it yourself - and you know something is missing

You have a sense of who your best clients are, but you have never formally defined it or built your strategy around it

You want a strategic partner who stays involved across the full scope of what your marketing requires - not a vendor who delivers content and waits for feedback

You are willing to commit to 12 months - because you understand that marketing compounds, and 90 days is not enough runway to know whether it is working

this is probably not the right fit if

You are looking for a quick win - a campaign, a website refresh, a social media boost - without addressing the underlying strategy first

You want someone to execute a plan you have already defined - strategy comes first here; execution follows from it

You are affiliated with a captive agency or wirehouse with significant compliance restrictions on independent marketing

You are not ready to do the foundational work of defining your niche and ideal client - this is where every engagement starts, without exception

You want a large agency with a full team of specialists - this is a boutique practice built for depth, not volume

What a Year Together Looks Like

A 12-month commitment is the minimum for a retainer engagement - and here is why that runway matters:

Month 1–2

We complete the Marketing Clarity Intensive. Your ideal client is defined. Your positioning is sharpened. Your 12-month strategy is built. Your marketing has a foundation - for the first time.

Month 3–4

Execution is underway. Your marketing runs consistently - content, campaigns, communications - with a voice and a purpose. You stop managing marketing and start approving it.

Month 5–6

The compounding effect begins. Referral partners describe you more specifically. Prospects arrive having already read your content. Your presence starts working before you open your mouth.

Month 7–9

The foundation is set. We refine messaging based on what is resonating and deepen the growth strategy conversation - where does the next phase come from, and are you positioned to capture it?

Month 10–12

You are not starting over. You are building. Year two looks different because year one built the foundation. We plan together for what comes next.

Explore Solutions

STILL NOT SURE?

That is exactly what the first conversation is for. Thirty minutes. No pitch. We talk about your business, your marketing history, and where you want to go. If it is a fit, I will tell you what working together looks like. If it is not, I will tell you that too - and point you toward something that might serve you better.

Let's Find Out

Julie Mullarkey provides marketing strategy and business advisory services to independent financial advisors. She is not a registered investment advisor and does not provide investment or financial planning advice.

Contact

Julie@JulieMullarkey.com

267-879-9478